Black tears, falling snow
by schreient
Summary: A darkish fic that takes you inside Hikari's mind and past as she goes crazy. Part 1 is up so far.


She watched the snow fall slowly, each perfectly constructed orb of freezing crystal landing silently on the growing buildup of whiteness. The balcony was falling asleep, along with the rest of the Odaiba. A white blanket was tucking it in.  
  
"Hikari?"  
  
The voice startled her out of her snow watching trance. She looked beside her to face Tailmon, who had already taken the liberty of placing her hand in her paw and rubbing it in kind. Tailmon was always so gentle.  
  
"Are you coming to sit down? Everybody's waiting for you".  
  
Dinner. That's right.  
  
"The reason we're here right now is for dinner. Ken-kun invited us to dinner. That's why we're here."  
  
Tailmon cocked her head with a worried glance and grasped her partner's hand tighter.  
  
"Hikari…are you alright? You've been acting strange all evening."  
  
When did this house become so dark?  
  
"Please help me. Please take me away from here."  
  
"Hikari…Hikari?!"  
  
Hikari shook her head and as if for the first time realized where she was. Where had she just gone off to?  
  
"T..Tailmon! I'm sorry! I was just off in my own world, I guess. I think I'm just tired."  
  
"Are you sure? Is that all it is? Hikari, I worry about you sometimes…well, a lot these days…"  
  
The girl smiled.  
  
"I'm alright. Really. Now, let's join the others, shall we?"  
  
Tailmon left Ken's bedroom with Hikari, still holding her hand, never letting her gaze fall from the girl's eyes.  
  
Miyako was the first to greet them.  
  
"Jeez, where did you run off to? We were worried, not to mention hungry, and…"  
  
"Sorry, sorry everybody. I just went to the bathroom and got a little sidetracked."  
  
Ken smiled at his friend and motioned for her to take a seat next to him.  
  
"Well, shall we start?"  
  
Everybody nodded excitedly and lifted their chopsticks.  
  
"Let's eat!"  
  
"Ichijouji-kun, this Kappa maki is really delicious!" Hawkmon commented happily as he stuffed the sushi down his beak.  
  
"R..really?" Ken replied, blushing as he always did in response to a compliment.  
  
"He's right! This food is really delicious!", Takeru added, smiling in his usual knowing yet lopsided way. "Did you make it yourself?"  
  
Makeityourselfmakeityourselfmakeityourself?  
  
Hikari was trapped in a whirlpool of pitch black confusion. She felt dizzy and blind as she was pulled in every which way. Her limbs felt as if they were being torn right from their sockets as she plunged further and further into the darkness.  
  
Helpme. Help. Help me. Help me.  
  
Why could nobody hear her? Why couldn't she scream louder? Right. Because upon entering this place you lost your ability to call for help.  
  
Are you testing me?  
  
Yeschildyeschildyeschild.  
  
"Hikari? Hikari?"  
  
The faint voice brought her back to reality. She opened her blurry eyes, which she had not realized had been closed, to see an ever familiar bewhiskered face staring down at her.  
  
"Hikari, are you alright? I was so worried about you!"  
  
The cat gave her partner a sound hug as Hikari blinked and realized that she was tucked into Ken's bed, with blankets covering her and a wet rag resting on her forehead.  
  
"What happened? Tailmon…"  
  
"We were in the middle of dinner, and you just sort of…lost it. Then you passed out."  
  
Hikari put her palm to her forehead.  
  
"I don't…remember…."  
  
"Hikari. Do you remember the talk we had? You promised me you'd come to me if you started having nightmares again".  
  
Before the girl could reply, Ken entered the room, a worried expression tightening his usually calm face.  
  
"Hikari-san, are you okay?"  
  
"A little shaky, yes…but I'm okay. Thank you". As she spoke, her cheeks reddened as she remembered that she was in her male friend's bed. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry to put you out like this, I'm really sorry, I'll get up"-  
  
"It's okay, it's okay. We were all so worried. Hikari-san…the snow is already far too high, and it's still falling- it wouldn't be safe for you to take the train home, especially in your condition. I've asked, no, insisted that everyone spend the night."  
  
Nights are frightening for you, child. I know. I understand all about you.  
  
Darkness again.  
  
Whirls of negativity swarmed past her. She had to get out. She didn't want to remember.  
  
Remember what? Didn't she forget about that already?  
  
Right. It was on that day.  
  
That day when she made herself forget.  
  
"I love you, daddy".  
  
"Father! Get away! Please, no…please…"  
  
"TAICHI!"  
  
Screaming. She was screaming as loudly as she possibly could, but she heard no sound. She felt her face being slapped… but no one was there.  
  
"Kids, it'll…it'll be just you and me for a while".  
  
"Daddy, don't go!"  
  
"I want to change. I'm sick. I'm so SICK!"  
  
Who was doing this to her? Why? Why now? Why did they want to make her remember NOW?  
  
Tailmon held her as she cried, writhed and screamed. But she didn't realize it. Because she was still in the darkness, all alone. The darkness that was her mind. A red mark had appeared on her face. 


End file.
